Random Cubs Recap: May 11, 1971

Home runs by Santo and Williams. Does it get any better than this?

And the turf basepaths with the dirt cutouts are the worst offense of all. It’s been a real joy to see grass fields make a big comeback the last few years.

you need to understand that Astroturf is the wave of the future. We’ll have even more dual purpose cookie-cutter stadiums for years to come with Astroturf. Astroturf fields are less expensive to maintain than grass fields. No one cares about old-timey style ballparks anymore. Hopefully, Fenway, Wrigley, Yankee, Comiskey, and Tiger Stadiums will get torn down soon to make way for those new-fangled dual purpose Astroturf stadiums. You got to learn to go with the times. These are the 1970’s.

…lights in Wrigley Field. You can bet the kids’ college fund on that.

The Phillies really need to hold on to him because he could be the mainstay of that rotation for years to come. I would never trade him for that lefty in St. Louis. That southpaw’s had a good career so far, but I believe he’s going to have a relatively short career blowing out his elbow throwing that slider. It would be wise for Philadelphia to keep Wise.

I really dig his sideburns. He’s the answer for the Cubs at first base. Pepitone has a ton of good years left in him. I see him still being around in the mid-1970’s, when the Cubs are going to win back-to-back World Series. Maybe, I can get Pepitone to record a peachy keen song to put on my 8-track.

Reuschel, I think his name is. Any chance he’d be ready next year?

Seeing that amazing rotation pitch, seeing Santo, Williams, and more hit, all during my occasionally misspent youth…

Yes, it’s been nice to see some postseason play, and we’ll see more sooner than some here think, though I really do remember those years as something special.

He’s off to a slow start. He’ll pick things up. Despite his age, I still think he can recapture the glory of his all-star 1970 season. Last year was when we saw the true Jim Hickman in action. Don’t hate me because of my superior baseball intellect. I just don’t feel as if I get the respect I deserve. Back when I was in the automobile business, I came up with the Edsel. It was a good car. It just wasn’t marketed right.

What a swing.

that I didn’t start following the Cubs until the late 70’s, missing all these beloved players.

I was a Reds fan, following the Big Red Machine of Pete Rose, Johnny Bench, Joe Morgan, Tony Perez, etc.

Didn’t know what I was missing in my own state :)

The Cubs are done in ‘71. The Cubs of the last two years have resembled the ’65-’66 Phillies. Let’s face it – no team with the historical and current front office baggage of the Cubs can hope to recover from a historical collapse.

There really is no hope of a good ending here: With Leo having played his best hand in ‘69, he’s mentally already retired. Meanwhile, despite the eternally-good wishes and positive sentiments he has earned from all Cubs fans, Ernie really should retire.

Also, we unfortunately have too many self-promoters and me-first athletes on the field and in the dugout. Besides Leo, there’s Santo, Pepitone, Pappas and Holtzman. I predict a clubhouse blow-up by late August.